Thread: NY- SOB - In Manhattan, Immigrant Jail Draws Scrutiny

In Manhattan, Immigrant Jail Draws Scrutiny
By NINA BERNSTEIN
Published: November 1, 2009

A startling petition arrived at the New York City Bar Association in October 2008, signed by 100 men, all locked up without criminal charges in the middle of Manhattan.

In vivid if flawed English, it described cramped, filthy quarters where dire medical needs were ignored and hungry prisoners were put to work for $1 a day.

The petitioners were among 250 detainees imprisoned in an immigration jail that few New Yorkers know exists. Above a post office, on the fourth floor of a federal office building in Greenwich Village, the Varick Street Detention Facility takes in 11,000 men a year, most of them longtime New Yorkers facing deportation without a lawyer.

Galvanized by the petition, the bar association sent volunteers into the jail to offer legal counsel to detainees — a strategy the Obama administration has embraced as it tries to fix the entire detention system.

“Immigration and Customs Enforcement considers the access to legal services at Varick Street as a good model,â€

Just like any other criminal, you do the crime, you pay the time. Want a lawyer? Pay up or put up. There are thousands of American criminals in jail who can't afford lawyers either, what makes illegals so special? They shouldn't be getting any taxpayer funded services,


[quote]A Haitian, who had served time for at least one drug-related offense, had a lawyer but wanted a second opinion after being held in Varick for 16 months. He described himself as a barber, interpreter and legal resident of Brooklyn for 23 years.

“It is double jeopardy,â€

The legals who broke our laws knew what the consequences woud be if they were caught so IMO there should be no hearing or lawyer needed.

As for the IA's; If there was a ligitimate reason for them to come to our country then they would have applied legally so IMO there is NO reason for a hearing or a lawyer .

It is a waste of taxpayer money to keep these people incarcerated instead of a speedy deportation.

Originally Posted by USPatriot

The legals who broke our laws knew what the consequences woud be if they were caught so IMO there should be no hearing or lawyer needed.

As for the IA's; If there was a ligitimate reason for them to come to our country then they would have applied legally so IMO there is NO reason for a hearing or a lawyer .

It is a waste of taxpayer money to keep these people incarcerated instead of a speedy deportation.

Exactly.

[quote="miguelina"]Just like any other criminal, you do the crime, you pay the time. Want a lawyer? Pay up or put up. There are thousands of American criminals in jail who can't afford lawyers either, what makes illegals so special? They shouldn't be getting any taxpayer funded services,


[quote]A Haitian, who had served time for at least one drug-related offense, had a lawyer but wanted a second opinion after being held in Varick for 16 months. He described himself as a barber, interpreter and legal resident of Brooklyn for 23 years.

“It is double jeopardy,â€

I'm one of the New Yorkers who are totally unaware of the place and because I don't read the NY Slimes I still would be if I hadn't read this here.

Gotta love Alipac!

Originally Posted by Ratbstard

I'm one of the New Yorkers who are totally unaware of the place and because I don't read the NY Slimes I still would be if I hadn't read this here.

Gotta love Alipac!

ALIPAC is truly the greatest political action organization in the country.